Shifting range sensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A shifting range sensing system, may include a shift lever pivotally connected to a vehicle body, a shift range sensing apparatus to sense a pivotal movement of the shift lever, an inhibitor switch mounted in a transmission, and a controller taking an emergency measure when a signal of the inhibitor switch and a signal of the shifting range sensing apparatus do not indicate the same shifting range.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/880,968, filed Sep. 13, 2010, which claimspriority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2009-0119032 filed Dec.3, 2009, the entire contents of which applications are incorporatedherein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shifting range sensing apparatus, inmore detail, an apparatus for detecting the current shifting range fromthe operation of a shifting lever.

Description of Related Art

In automatic transmission vehicles of the related art, operational forceof a shift lever that is operated by a driver is transmitted to aninhibitor switch and a manual valve of a valve body in the automatictransmission through a cable.

Accordingly, even it the inhibitor switch transmits incorrectinformation due to a failure, the manual valve mechanically receives theoperational force of the shift lever and operates, such that the vehiclecould be safely controlled.

In the DCT (Double Clutch Transmission), however, since a controlleroperates a motor in response to a signal from an inhibitor switch toperform shifting, such that when incorrect information is transmitted tothe controller due to a failure of the inhibitor switch, safe control ofthe vehicles could not be ensured.

That is, when a driver moves the shift lever to the N-range and theinhibitor switch transmits an R-range signal due to a failure, thecontroller correspondingly release the DCT, and as a result, the driveris exposed to a danger of accident by unexpected reverse of the vehicle.

The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section isonly for enhancement of understanding of the general background of theinvention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form ofsuggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to aperson skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide ashifting range sensing apparatus that makes it possible to ensure safetyin vehicle control, by providing accurate information on a shift rangeselected by a driver supplementarilly from the operation of a shiftlever, even if an inhibitor switch mounted in a transmission transmitsincorrect information due to a failure in vehicles equipped with a DCTetc.

In an aspect of the present invention, the shifting range sensingapparatus may include a housing fixed to a vehicle body, a shift leverpivotally connected to the vehicle body, a magnet rotatably connected tothe housing therein, a power transfer unit transmitting a pivotalrotation of the shift lever to the magnet in accordance with a rotationof the shift lever to move the magnet, and a Hall sensor fixed in thehousing to sense the movement of the magnet.

The power transfer unit may include a connecting rod connected with themagnet and protruding outside the housing, and a connection grooveformed in the shift lever to rotatably receive the connecting rodtherein, wherein the connecting rod is integrally formed with a magnethousing covering the magnet, the magnet housing is rotatably connectedto the housing by a rotary fixing pin through the housing, and thehousing has arc slots to receive the connecting rod therethrough.

Two arc slots may be formed in the housing symmetrically with the rotaryfixing pin therebetween.

The shift lever may include a lever bar receiving operational force, anupper block integrally combined with the lever bar, and a lower blockconnected to lower portion of the upper block and rotatably coupled tothe vehicle body, wherein the lever bar is selected in a shifting range,and wherein the connection groove is formed in the lower block.

The housing may be fixed to the outer side of a base bracket fixed tothe vehicle body, the base bracket covering the shift lever, and thebase bracket may have an arc hole at a position corresponding to the arcslots of the housing to receive a distal end portion of the connectingrod therethrough.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling avehicle equipped with the shifting range sensing apparatus may includereceiving a signal from an inhibitor switch mounted in a transmission,receiving a signal from the Hall sensor of the shifting range sensingapparatus, determining whether the signal of the inhibitor switch andthe signal from the shifting range sensing apparatus indicate the sameshifting range, and taking an emergency measure by performing afail-safe function, when it is determined that the signals do notindicate the same shifting range in the determining of whether thesignals indicate the same shifting range.

Taking of an emergency measure may include informing that the signal ofthe inhibitor switch and the signal from the shifting range sensingapparatus are not the same, and controlling signal selection to controlthe transmission on the basis of the signal from the shifting rangesensing apparatus.

In further another aspect of the present invention, a shifting rangesensing system may include a shift lever pivotally connected to avehicle body, a shift range sensing apparatus to sense a pivotalmovement of the shift lever, an inhibitor switch mounted in atransmission, and a controller taking an emergency measure when a signalof the inhibitor switch and a signal of the shifting range sensingapparatus do not indicate the same shifting range, wherein the shiftingrange sensing system may include a housing fixed to the vehicle body, amagnet rotatably connected to the housing therein, a power transfer unittransmitting the pivotal movement of the shift lever to the magnet inaccordance with the pivotal movement of the shift lever to move themagnet, and a Hall sensor fixed in the housing to sense the movement ofthe magnet and send a signal to the controller.

According to the present invention, it is possible to ensure safety invehicle control, by providing accurate information on a shift rangeselected by a driver supplementarilly from the operation of a shiftlever, even if an inhibitor switch mounted in a transmission transmitsincorrect information due to a failure.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other featuresand advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in moredetail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, andthe following Detailed Description of the Invention, which togetherserve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing when a shift range sensing apparatus accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been mounted.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the connection structure of a shift leverand a shifting range sensing apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the external appearance of a shifting rangesensing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the structure of a magnet housing and ahousing which are combined to be used in the exemplary embodiment shownin FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view showing in detail the magnet housing and a connectingrod of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing the internal structure of theshifting range sensing apparatus of the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a structure when the shifting range sensingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventionis mounted on a base bracket.

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example when a shifting range sensingapparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventionis mounted in the opposite direction to FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method controllinga vehicle equipped with a shift range sensing apparatus according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variousfeatures illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. Thespecific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein,including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations,and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intendedapplication and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent partsof the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of thepresent invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) willbe described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will beunderstood that present description is not intended to limit theinvention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, theinvention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplaryembodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalentsand other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, an embodiment of the present inventionincludes a housing 1 fixed with respect to a vehicle body, a magnet 3rotatably disposed in housing 1, a power transfer unit transmittingrotation of shift lever 5 to rotation of magnet 3 in accordance with therotational state of shift lever 5 such that magnet 3 rotates, and a Hallsensor 7 disposed in housing 1 to sense movement of magnet 3.

That is, movement of magnet 3 which is generated by movement of shiftlever 5 is sensed by Hall sensor 7, it is determined from the changewhich shifting range was selected by shift lever 5, by a separatecontroller, and a signal is supplied to a transmission controller.

In the present embodiment, the power transfer unit includes a connectingrod 9 integrally connected with magnet 3 and protruding outside fromhousing 1 and a connection groove 11 formed to insert connecting rod 9in shift lever 5.

Connecting rod 9 is integrally formed with magnet housing 13 coveringmagnet 3 and magnet housing 13 is disposed rotatably with respect tohousing 1 by rotary fixing pin 15 through housing 1.

Housing 1 has arc slots 17 to move connecting rod 9.

Further, the two arc slots 17 is formed symmetrically with rotary fixingpin 15 therebetween, and as shown in FIG. 8, it is easy to be diverted,when shifting range sensing apparatus 19 should be mounted in theopposite direction to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

Shift lever 5 includes a lever bar 21 receiving the operational forcefrom a driver, an upper block 23 integrally combined with lever bar 21,and a lower block 25 disposed to rotate when lever bar 21 is selected ina shifting range, rotatably supporting upper block 23.

Therefore, the operational force 5 of shift lever 5 from the driver istransmitted through lever bar 21, and when lever bar 21 is moved toselect a transmission range, lower block 25 rotates, such thatconnection groove 11 is formed in lower block 25.

Without separately having upper block 23 and lower block 25, asdescribed above, shift lever 5 may be simplified with a configurationhaving a member corresponding to lever bar 21 and forming connectiongroove 11 thereto.

Housing 1 is fixed to the outer side of a base bracket 27 covering shiftlever 5 and base bracket 27 has an arc hole 29 at the positioncorresponding to arc slots 17.

Therefore, with the same basic structure of a shifting device for a DCTand a shifting device of a common automatic transmission, shifting rangesensing apparatus 19 of the present invention can be easily mounted orremoved, if needed, such that it is possible to reduce the manufacturingcost by sharing the parts.

In a vehicle equipped with shifting range sensing apparatus describedabove, It is possible to more safely control the vehicle, using shiftingrange sensing apparatus 19, and as shown in FIG. 9, the vehicle can becontrolled by receiving a signal from inhibitor switch mounted in thetransmission (S10), receiving a signal from shifting range sensingapparatus 19 (S20), determining whether the signal of the inhibitorswitch and the signal from shifting range sensing apparatus 19 indicatethe same shifting range (S30), and taking an emergency measure byperforming a fail-safe function, when it is determined that the signalsdo not indicate the same shifting range in the determining of whetherthe signals indicate the same shifting range (S30 and S40).

The taking of an emergency measure (S40) may include informing thedriver that the signal of the inhibitor switch and the signal fromshifting range sensing apparatus 19 are not the same (S41) andcontrolling signal selection to control the transmission preferentiallyon the basis of the signal from shifting range sensing apparatus 19(S42).

That is, when the signal of the inhibitor switch may not be the same asthe signal of shifting range sensing apparatus 19, the driver is warnedthe circumstance with display or voice to take a measure against it.

In the present embodiment, the transmission is controlled preferentiallyon the basis of the signal of shifting range sensing apparatus 19 whileignoring the signal of the inhibitor switch in the controlling signalselection (S42), and this is because it is considered more safe tocontrol the vehicle to correspond to the driver's intention, inpreparation for when a failure of the inhibitor switch.

However, it may be possible to give priority to safety by stopping thevehicle without the controlling of signal selection (S42), when a signaldifferent form the signal of the inhibitor switch is generated, asdescribed above, because an error in shifting range sensing apparatus 19of the present invention can never be eliminated.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in orderto explain certain principles of the invention and their practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make andutilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as wellas various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shifting range sensing system, comprising: ashift lever pivotally connected to a vehicle body; a shift range sensingapparatus to sense a pivotal movement of the shift lever; an inhibitorswitch mounted in a transmission; and a controller taking an emergencymeasure when a signal of the inhibitor switch and a signal of theshifting range sensing apparatus do not indicate the same shiftingrange, wherein the shifting range sensing system includes: a housingfixedly mounted to the vehicle body; a magnet rotatably connected to thehousing therein; a power transfer unit transmitting the pivotal movementof the shift lever to the magnet in accordance with the pivotal movementof the shift lever to move the magnet; and a Hall sensor fixed in thehousing to sense movement of the magnet and send a signal to thecontroller, wherein the power transfer unit includes: a connecting rodconnected with the magnet and protruding outside the housing; and aconnection groove formed in the shift lever to rotatably receive theconnecting rod therein, wherein the connecting rod is integrally formedwith a magnet housing covering the magnet, wherein the magnet housing isrotatably connected to the housing by a rotary fixing pin through thehousing, and wherein the housing has arc slots to receive the connectingrod therethrough.
 2. The shifting range sensing system as defined inclaim 1, wherein two arc slots are formed in the housing symmetricallywith the rotary fixing pin therebetween.
 3. The shifting range sensingsystem as defined in claim 1, wherein the shift lever includes: a leverbar receiving operational force; an upper block integrally combined withthe lever bar; and a lower block connected to lower portion of the upperblock and rotatably coupled to the vehicle body, wherein the lever baris selected in a shifting range, and wherein the connection groove isformed in the lower block.
 4. The shifting range sensing system asdefined in claim 3, wherein the housing is fixed to the outer side of abase bracket fixed to the vehicle body, the base bracket covering theshift lever, and the base bracket has an arc hole at a positioncorresponding to the arc slots of the housing to receive a distal endportion of the connecting rod therethrough.
 5. The shifting rangesensing system as defined in claim 1, wherein the taking of theemergency measure includes: informing that the signal of the inhibitorswitch and the signal from the shifting range sensing apparatus are notthe same; and controlling signal selection to control the transmissionon the basis of the signal from the shifting range sensing apparatus.